in your heart

sometimes life graces you with the presence of a remarkable human being with such kindness in their heart and such peace in their smile because they have loved. so much. and they ARE loved. so much more than they can ever imagine.

"family is what life is all about, " she softly whispered to me with a light in her eyes, a happiness in her heart, and a natural smile filled with love. she is brave beyond life. beautiful, loving, strong. she is someone's family. someone who will ALways be in your heart. and this is for her.







we cannot always explain everything, we don't always know the reasons why,
we only know the love we feel makes our souls sing with life.











every moment we have shared together, every breath we have smiled,
you were there with me, you were the one who made it worth while.








so no matter where this journey of life takes us, if our paths separate from time to time,
warmth will always fill my heart, I will carry you with me, you will always be my shining star.








you are someone's mother.



















you are someone's grandmother.























you are the one and only glamorous gigi.
















you are our family. you ARE love.
so save a place for me, save a space for me. in your heart.
















as you are ALways in my heart. always. no matter where you are. you are my shining star.

becoming whole

sometimes, something is missing. you just don't know what it is. until you have it and you can hold it in your hands and your heart can smile that it is yours and you never have to let it go.

even when you are completely exhausted, overwhelmed, emotional, full of so.much.love. you think you might burst. that is when you feel it the most. you feel whole. and you cannot imagine how you lived your life without it before.

it doesn't matter *how* you came to be. you did. and you are whole. and you are a family. and you have love. and you have fears. and you have little fingers grasping tightly to never let *you* go. you never felt so needed before. and you were never before needed so much. you are someone's mom. you are someone's dad. you are someone's son. you are someone's daughter. you are someone's *family.* and you are whole.

how could you love someone you never met before so.very.much. you would give your life for that little being, you would take their sicknesses, their pain, their heartbreaks, and go through it all for them?

because you just could. and you do. and you always will. you are *whole.* and the best part? you don't ever have to let go.


and it all began with the two most beautiful faces you ever did see....


meet kyrie.





and kingston.











the loves of your life.












and you just happen to be the loves of *their* lives as well. did you know that? even when you feel like NOthing you do is right. even when you have had a major fail of a day. even when you didn't even get a chance to shower. for three days in a row. you are still loved. you are still whole. and you can live off coffee if you want to. cause you are loved. and you are perfect to someone. no matter WHAT you do.



this is what happiness looks like. this is your family. this is your life.




















































and you wouldn't have it any.other.way.




























cause these two perfect faces?













just as much as they made YOU whole? you made their whole.entire.life.



no matter how you came to be. you just did. and you are whole. and you are a family.


and family is the most beautiful word you have ever known.







welcome "whole"me, stefanich family!!!

a few of my favorite things.....1,000 fan giveaway!!

it is SO HERE!! all of your wonderful support and kind words and just.plain.awesomeness has brought the mL photography fanpage to over 1,000 super rad people gathered together to celebrate good times, come ON! I kind of super love sharing such inspiring moments and such beautiful love a family has for one another and I am oh so happy you all are there to view it and soak it up and smile with it. and I so hope you do.

sooooo.....a few little somethings from a few of my favorite shops are definitely in order. these lovely ladies not only are super crafty and rather incredible at what they do but they are so.very.supportive of me, too. I love them all. and here is your chance to fall in love with them, too.

the 1,000 fan giveaway which shall begin wednesday, february 1 and ends wednesday, february 8 at midnight.
to enter to win one of the fabulous credits towards any of the shops below, you simply need to "like" ALL of their fanpages on facebook. then leave a comment under this post saying that you did and tell me one of your favorite things from ANY of the pages you visited.


here are the wonderful goodies you can win...



prize #1:

the cool crazysocks crochet shop


****winner- angela (agill66@gmail.com)****
please contact danyel through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

crazysocks crochet shop fanpage



and check out some more goodies on the website here:

crazysocks crochet shop






prize #2:


the amazing ameliacalvin shop


****winner-Rachelle S.****
please contact danyel through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

ameliacalvin fanpage




and check out some more goodies on the website here:

ameliacalvin shop






prize #3:


a $20 credit towards a custom order for the stellar sara b. jewelry & metalsmithing shop.


****winner- Erin K.****
please contact sara through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

sara b. jewelry & metalsmithing fanpage


and check out more goodies in the etsy shop here:

sara b. jewelry etsy shop





prize #4:

a $20 credit towards the lovely lakeshore creations shop.




****winner- McMasters Family****
please contact melissa through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

lakeshore creations fanpage


and check out more goodies in the etsy shop here:

lakeshore creations etsy shop




prize #5:


a credit towards ANY pair of earrings in stock at the ravishing randl design shop.

****winner- Sara K.****
please contact rebekah through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

r and l design fanpage


and check out more goodies in the etsy shop here:

r and l design etsy shop




prize #6:

a credit towards a flower ring from the (particularly pretty) pretty little things shop.


****winner- tropAcool/Laura****
please contact dory through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13****

you can "like" her fanpage here:

pretty little things fanpage




prize #7 and prize #8:


one of TWO $10 credits towards a custom order for the heavenly hairbow-tique shop.




****winners- Katie Sluiter and Samantha W.****
please contact connie through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

hairbow-tique fanpage


and check out more goodies in the etsy shop here:

hairbow-tique etsy shop





prize # 9:


a $10 credit towards the marvelous myjoy designs shop.



****winner- Ruth Borgman****
please contact megan through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

myjoy designs fanpage




prize #10:

a gift certificate for a mini cheesecake from the sensational say cheesecake by sara shop.



****winner- Meyers Family****
please contact sara through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

say cheesecake by sara fanpage



prize #11:


a valentine's day gift basket from the brilliant bluejeancountry shop.


****winner- Missy****
please contact melissa through her fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13

you can "like" her fanpage here:

bluejeancountry fanpage


and check out more goodies in the etsy shop here:

bluejeancountry etsy shop




prize #12:


a gift certificate for a spring mini session with mL photography.



****winner- Connie P.****
please contact me! (missy) through my fanpage to claim your prize by monday, february 13


and I would love for you to "like" my fanpage here:

mL photography fanpage


and check out my website here:

mL photography website


and there you have it! remember, all you have to do is "like" all of these fabulous fanpages and share ONE item from ANY of the shops that you just super loved the moment you saw it and you just have to share! 12 random winners will be drawn. and remember you have until wednesday, february 8 to enter. so get to it! you will be oh so happy you did.



and again, this giveaway is all because of YOU. and the unbelievable support of the shops that are participating. so go check out a few of my favorite things and smile. because your heart would love you to.